RAF Counterdrugs operations in the Caribbean in the 1990s ?

[C4ISR]

In the early 1990s RAF personnel and hardware were involved in counterdrugs operations in the Caribbean during their deployment in Belize. Does anyone knows any information during those times ?

Thanks in advance

:ok:

[kenparry]

Not really a suitable topic for open discussion

[Pontius Navigator]

Unless they can point to an open source

[Yellow Sun]

The only narrative account that I am aware of is in Tony Blackman's book "Nimrod - Rise and Fall" pp 87-89. The reference does quote a Parliamentary Question and response so there may be further information available via the House of Commons library. The National Archiive (TNA) will hold the squadron Operational Record Books for the period, but as the events referred to are less than 30 years ago they may not have released yet. An enquiry to TNA will quickly reveal the situation although you may find that they contain little other than dates of deployment. They may however show the operation names and a further TNA search might turn up more information. However as this would have been a multi-agency operation it is possible that it would not have been subject to automatic review. There may of course be information already available from US sources that could be cross referenced.

I hope that you find this helpful.

YS

[jayteeto]

The simple answer is: yes we were
In reality, I'm not sure on the security issues involved if some aspects are discussed publicly. I guess they probably wouldn't be an issue, but better safe than sorry.
What can be discussed is that we were always on the lookout when flying up and down country. If we made any discoveries, we called it in for local agencies to deal with it. This was as relevant in Belize as it was in the U.K.

[Jimlad1]

Any records will be out viaTNA or via FOIA request. Beyond this you will struggle to get any answers which dont skirt perilously close to breaking the OSA.

[Gulf Flyer]

C4ISR,

I suspect your request is non-specific, and that you may be part of an organisation that is in the process of developing a capability? Google is your friend here, try searching drug operations with the Belize Defence Force/the USA's DEA ops in the Caribbean; books such as - Caribbean Maritime Security
By Michael A. Morris, may also be helpful to you?


If you are more deliberate in what information you seek, then I'm sure we, collectively, can be a bit more helpful?

GF

[ShotOne]

"Not a topic for open discussion"..."perilously close to breakingOSA.." Ha, really.. you are joking?

About twenty seconds on Google produced a host of UK-military drug seizures, from a top-secret source... OK they were on MOD website, complete with smug pics of crew and ships heli, point being the MOD went to some lengths to court publicity.

It's exceptionally unlikely that the intelligence which led to any of the seizures came from the military. It would be interesting to hear from the agency which supplied that info how they felt. From a law-enforcement viewpoint, seizure at sea isn't great; Ok the drugs are seized which is good but they are easily replaced and damage to the smuggling organisation is minimal; A few penniless fishermen get banged up and that's it.

My own experience with law enforcement in Far East was that on occasions we asked military to shadow a shipment at sea, the navy would, even when expressly asked not to,intercept and seize the shipment. Lots of good press for them but no meaningful convictions and months of investigative work wasted.

[C4ISR]

Many, many thanks for the all the replies provided. I am researching for a book about aerial operations against the narco trafficking in Latin America. So I would like to know any available details about the RAF operations regarding this subject. As much as I know there was an operation called "Operation Cadence" in 1991 against the drug barons in Belize. I also know that GR.3s stationed in that country flew counterdrugs missions by around the same time frame, as well as that RAF personnel flew combined missions aboard USAF E-3s. So, as the aerial operations is the only focus of my research, is there any information about the operations I mentioned above ? I tried to contact the Harrier GR.3 association and research through the TNA previously, but not succeeded. Any information with dates and operational details will be accepted. I am not looking for names ("aliases" are enough, if desired) and I will be very pleased to add all the contributors names and aliases (if they agree, obviously) to book's acknowledgments. ;)

[aw ditor]

Islanders also used'.

[oldbeefer]

I do remember flying some local 'military' out into the jungle to burn a huge marijuana field in a jungle clearing. Went back to collect them at the end of the day, and they'd all been standing downwind!

[charliegolf]

I do remember flying some local 'military' out into the jungle to burn a huge marijuana field in a jungle clearing. Went back to collect them at the end of the day, and they'd all been standing downwind!

At the end of a similar 80s day, Oldbeefer, I recall telling 4 Belizean coppers to remove their hats (as was the norm), only to spot they were stuffed with 'grass' of some sort or other. Blown there by rotor downwash no doubt!:}

CG